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Background: Discovery of neurotrophic factors - emblematic: the nerve growth factor (NGF) - resulted in better approaching central nervous system (CNS) lesions. Recently, another crucial property has been unveiled: their rather unique pleiotropic effect. Cerebrolysin is a peptide mixture that penetrates the blood-brain barrier in significant amounts and mimics the effects of NGF. Methods: Comparative analysis: Cerebrolysin treated (10 ml x 2/ day, i.v. x 3 weeks) vs. non-treated, in patients (all received aside, a rather equivalent complementary, pharmacological and physical, therapy). Two lots of patients, admitted in our Physical & Rehabilitation (neural-muscular) Medical - PR(n-m)M - Clinic Division, during 2007-2009: 69 treated with Cerebrolysin (22 F, 47 M; Average: 59.333; Mean of age: 61.0 Years old; Standard deviation 16.583) and 70 controls (41 F, 29 M; A: 70.014; M.o.a.: 70.5 Y.o.; S.d.: 6.270) were studied. The total number of assessed items was 13: most contributive in relation with the score of Functional Independence Measure at discharge (d FIM), were: admission (a FIM), number of physical therapy days (PT), number of hospitalization days (H), age (A) and - relatively - days until the first knee functional extension (KE). Concomitantly, the main/ key, focused on neuro-motor rehabilitative outcomes, functional/analytical parameters, have been assessed regarding the speed in achieving their functional recovery. Results: Concerning d FIM, there have not been objectified significant differences between the two lots (p=0.2453) but regarding key, focused on neuro-motor rehabilitative outcomes, functional/analytical parameters: KE (p=0.0007) and days until the first time recovery of the ability to walk between parallel bars (WPB - p=0.0000) - highly significant differences in favor of Cerebrolysin lot resulted. Conclusion: Cerebrolysin administration, as neurorehabilitative outcomes, proved to hasten, statistically significant, especially the recovery of some critical, for standing and walking, parameters. Thus encouraged, we have now initiated a comprehensive national, 5 year retrospective, multi-centre - based on unitary data acquisition frame and mathematical apparatus - study, to evaluate the results of the treatment with Cerebrolysin in traumatic brain injuries (TBI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injuries and diseases of the skin require accurate treatment using nontoxic and noninvasive biomaterials, which aim to mimic the natural structures of the body. There is a strong need to develop biodevices capable of accommodating nutrients and bioactive molecules and generating the process of vascularization. Electrospinning is a robust technique, as it can form fibrous structures for tissue engineering and wound dressings. The best way of forming such meshes for wound healing is to choose two polymers that complement each other regarding their properties. On the one hand, PVA is a water-soluble synthetic polymer widely used for the preparation of hydrogels in the field of biomedicine owing to its biocompatibility, water solubility, nontoxicity, and considerable mechanical properties. PVA is easy to subject to electrospinning and can offer strong mechanical stability of the mesh, but it is necessary to improve its biological properties. On the other hand, CS has good biological properties, including biodegradability, nontoxicity, biocompatibility, and antimicrobial properties. Still, it is harder to electrospin and does not possess as good mechanical properties as PVA. As these structures also allow the incorporation of bioactive agents due to their high surface-area-to-volume ratio, the interesting point was to incorporate usnic acid into the structure as it is a natural and suitable alternative agent for burn wounds treatment which avoids an improper or overuse of antibiotics and other invasive biomolecules. Thus, we report the fabrication of an electrospun nanofibrous mesh based on PVA, chitosan, and usnic acid with applications in wound healing. The obtained nanofibers mesh was physicochemically characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In vitro biological assays were performed to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of the samples using the MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) assay and evaluating the influence of fabricated meshes on the Staphylococcus aureus biofilm development, as well as their biocompatibility (demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy results, an XTT assay, and a glutathione (GSH) assay).

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a non-fermentative Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen, frequently encountered in difficult-to-treat hospital-acquired infections and also wastewaters. The natural resistance of this pathogen, together with the frequent occurrence of multidrug-resistant strains, make current antibiotic therapy inefficient in treating P. aeruginosa infections. Antibiotic therapy creates a huge pressure to select resistant strains in clinical settings but also in the environment, since high amounts of antibiotics are released in waters and soil. Essential oils (EOs) and plant-derived compounds are efficient, ecologic, and sustainable alternatives in the management of various diseases, including infections. In this study, we evaluated the antibacterial effects of four commercial essential oils, namely, tea tree, thyme, sage, and eucalyptus, on 36 P. aeruginosa strains isolated from hospital infections and wastewaters. Bacterial strains were characterized in terms of virulence and antimicrobial resistance. The results show that most strains expressed soluble pore toxin virulence factors such as lecithinase (89-100%) and lipase (72-86%). All P. aeruginosa strains were positive for alginate encoding gene and 94.44% for protease IV; most of the strains were exotoxin producers (i.e., 80.56% for the ExoS gene, 77.78% for the ExoT gene, while the ExoU gene was present in 38.98% of the strains). Phospholipase-encoding genes (plc) were identified in 91.67/86.11% of the cases (plcH/plcN genes). A high antibiotic resistance level was identified, most of the strains being resistant to cabapenems and cephalosporins. Cabapenem resistance was higher in hospital and hospital wastewater strains (55.56-100%) as compared to those in urban wastewater. The most frequently encountered encoding genes were for extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), namely, bla CTX-M (83.33% of the strains), bla SHV (80.56%), bla GES (52.78%), and bla VEB (13.89%), followed by carbapenemase-encoding genes ( bla VIM , 8.33%). Statistical comparison of the EOs' antimicrobial results showed that thyme gave the lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBEC) in P. aeruginosa -resistant isolates, making this EO a competitive candidate for the development of efficient and ecologic antimicrobial alternatives.

Despite the technological progress of the last decade, dental caries is still the most frequent oral health threat in children and adults alike. Such a condition has multiple triggers and is caused mainly by enamel degradation under the acidic attack of microbial cells, which compose the biofilm of the dental plaque. The biofilm of the dental plaque is a multispecific microbial consortium that periodically develops on mammalian teeth. It can be partially removed through mechanical forces by individual brushing or in specialized oral care facilities. Inhibition of microbial attachment and biofilm formation, as well as methods to strengthen dental enamel to microbial attack, represent the key factors in caries prevention. The purpose of this study was to elaborate a cold plasma-based method in order to modulate microbial attachment and biofilm formation and to improve the retention of fluoride (F - ) in an enamel-like hydroxyapatite (HAP) model sample. Our results showed improved F retention in the HAP model, which correlated with an increased antimicrobial and antibiofilm effect. The obtained cold plasma with a dual effect exhibited through biofilm modulation and enamel strengthening through fluoridation is intended for dental application, such as preventing and treating dental caries and enamel deterioration.

Background: The present study aims the characterization of antibiotic resistance phenotypes and encoding genes in bacterial strains isolated from some Romanian aquatic fishery lowland salted lakes., Material/methods: This study was conducted on 44 bacterial strains, mainly belonging to species used as microbiological indicators of fecal pollution isolated from four natural fishery lakes. All strains were tested for their antibiotic susceptibility by disk diffusion method. Simplex and multiplex PCR were performed to identify the β-lactams antibiotic resistance genes (bla NMD , bla OXA-48 , bla VIM , bla IMP , bla CTX-M , bla TEM ), sulfonamides (Sul1, Sul2), tetracyclines (TetA, TetB, TetC, TetD, TetM), aminoglycosides (aac3Ia), vancomycin (VanA, VanB, VanC), macrolides (ermA, ermB, ermC) as well as the plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) markers (QnrA, QnrB, QnrS), and class 1 integrons (Int1, drfA1-aadA1)., Results: The Enterococcus spp. isolates exhibited phenotypic resistance to vancomycin (35 %) and macrolides (erythromycin) (75 %); from the vancomycin - resistant strains, 5 % harboured VanA (E. faecalis), while the erythromycin resistant isolates were positive for the ermA gene (E. faecalis - 10 %, E. faecium - 5 %). The Gram- negative rods (GNR) exhibited a high level of resistance to β-lactams: cefuroxime (63 %), cefazolin (42 %), ceftriaxone (8 %), ceftazidime and aztreonam (4 % each). The genetic determinants for beta-lactam resistance were represented by bla CTX-M-like (33 %), bla NDM-like and bla IMP-like (8.33 %) genes. The resistance to non-β-lactam antibiotics was ascertained to the following genes: quinolones (QnrS - 4.16 %); sulfonamides (Sul1-75 %, Sul2-4.16 %); aminoglycosides (aac3Ia - 4.16 %); tetracyclines (tetA - 25 %, tetC - 15 %). The integrase gene was found in more than 50 % of the studied strains (58.33 %)., Conclusions: The cultivable aquatic microbiota from fishery lakes is dominated by enterococci and Enterobacterales strains. The GNR strains exhibited high levels of β-lactam resistance mediated by extended spectrum beta-lactamases and metallo-β-lactamases. The Enterococcus sp. isolates were highly resistant to macrolides and vancomycin. The high level and diversity of resistance markers, correlated with a high frequency of integrons is suggesting that this environment could act as an important reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes with a great probability to be horizontally transmitted to other associated species from the aquatic sediments microbiota, raising the potential zoonotic risk for fish consumers.

We present a case report of a 6-year-old female child, admitted in the Pediatric Clinic, diagnosed with Aplastic Constitutional Hereditary Anaemia (Fanconi Anaemia). On ophthalmic examination, on the left eye were noted important macular edema and a big preretinal haemorrhage of 4 DP situated on the posterior pole. The treatment of the systemic condition established the involution of the ophthalmic manifestations.

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to observe the corneal neurotrophic ulcers in patients with ophthalmic and systemic diseases associated with impairment of the sensory innervation of the cornea., Methods: We have performed a retrospective study using a lot of patients with corneal neurotrophic ulcers, admitted in Ophthalmology Clinic in 2003-2006. We have analyzed the etiopathogenic factors that have determined the corneal trophic ulcers, the treatment and the complications occurred., Results: The study spot-lighted two main causes responsible for the corneal trophic ulcers: ocular and systemic disorders. For many patients the etiopathogenic factor is multiple., Conclusions: 1. Corneal neurotrophic ulcer is a severe complication of an ophthalmic or a systemic disorder. 2. The moderate outcome of ophthalmic complications require early treatment, adjusted for each patient. 3. Prevention of the corneal neurotrophic ulcers is the best method of treatment.

The paper present a clinic and histological study, including all cases of uveal malignant tumours, hospitalized in Ophthalmological Clinic of Craiova in the last 15 years. The follow-up period of cases were 4 years. The diagnosis was established by clinic and paraclinic examination (imaging methods-- MRI, CT, Echo) and histologic examination. The histologic examination has been done for all cases. There were investigated several parametres: tumour cytology, the level of pigmentation, intravascular embolus, sclera infiltration, vascular invasion, vascular pattern, tumoral necrosis, mitotic activity. The histologic aspects of tumoral progression were: the high level mitotic activity, high surface area of intratumoral necrosis, the infiltrative process to the vessels, sclera, and ciliary body. The arcuat and network vascular patterns were involved in the systemic metastasis and local invasion. The most predominant type of cellularity related with a severe evolution of cases were the epithelioid cells and the mixed type cells.

The paper realized the retrospective evaluation of all cases of neovascular glaucoma hospitalized in Clinic of Ophthalmology of Craiova in the last 15 years. Neovascular secondary glaucoma represents 3,9% of all glaucomas. The most important etiologic factors were the central venous occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, carotid occlusion, intraocular tumors, chronic uveitis, Fuchs heterochromy. Neovascular secondary glaucoma is characterized by important hypoxic tissues destructions, presented of all levels that lead to neovessels formation with irreversible anatomic and functional losing of ocular globe. The identification of neovascular glaucoma causes and their treatment is important to prevent that diseases.